Unmasked COMPLETE
by the story of a girl
Summary: Aftermath of the season four season finale. Bree/Katherine friendship. Chp. 10 added.
1. Chapter 1

"Unmasked

Bree Hodge had become an expert at masking pain with perfection. While others would swallow their pride and allow their emotions to take over, she could push even the most powerful feelings so far into the back of her mind that sometimes even she would forget them. Bree, of course, was well aware that this was not particularly healthy behavior, but she also firmly believed that she was able to keep herself, and her sanity, in check. How she kept herself standing from one day to the next was no one's business but her own. However, watching someone else portray the same behavior was becoming increasingly more difficult. Especially when that person happened to be a close friend.

It had been six days, 4 hours, and thirty-three minutes since Katherine Mayfair ended the life of her ex-husband, Wayne. The first few days were a blur, filled with a endless stream fair-weather friends. While many of her friends and neighbors intentions may have appeared genuine, Katherine knew that all they really wanted was a bit of gossip and possibly even a sob story. She made sure to send them off unsatisfied, and just as expected, they soon stopped coming by. By day four Katherine's story was old news. The residents of Wisteria Lane entered back into their normal routines and habits in no time at all. All except for one, of course.

Bree could not take her mind off of the events that had taken place next door. Katherine's home was just like every other on Wisteria Lane, but yet every time she looked at it she would relive the horror of fearing for her own life. Yet even more powerful than the fear and anguish she had for herself was what she felt for Katherine. Try as she may, she simply could not wrap her mind around her friend's horrifying past. The mere thought of silently dealing with the loss of a child was enough to make her feel physically ill.

While Katherine had lived with all of her secrets everyday for well over a decade, Bree could not help but feel obligated to try and help her in some way. Aside from Dylan, she was the only living soul who knew Katherine's secrets. She saw this as both a privilege and a curse. After all, great responsibility comes along with too much knowledge.

As she had done everyday since the shooting, Bree concealed her anxiety and went to over to Katherine's house for lunch.

"Bree, what a surprise." Katherine's tone may have been sarcastic, but her smile was genuine. "You know," She glanced at the basket of muffins Bree was carrying. "As much as I appreciate you bringing me baked goods on a daily basis, there's really no need. You do realize that anything you bring I can make just as good if not better." She smirked, ushering her friend inside.

"Well, let's not get carried away." Bree forced a smile, though she was a bit agitated by the truth of the remark. "I assumed you wouldn't be in much of a baking mood during a time like this." She settled the basket on the kitchen counter.

"A time like what?" Katherine questioned innocently.

"I think you know what I'm referring to." She felt a bit uncomfortable. After all, she was not accustomed to prying.

" I told you, I feel much better now. Things are better." Katherine looked up, avoiding eye contact. It was clear that Bree was not buying her act, and she could not help but feel a bit frightened by the prospect. "With Wayne gone, I feel like I've finally gotten my life back. I'm free, can't you see that?"

"But you…" Bree was at a loss for words, "Katherine, you…you've been through a terrible trauma, I just hope - "

"I've been through worse." Katherine interrupted as she began scrubbing feverishly at an invisible spec on the counter. "Much worse. And I survived, didn't I? I got by just fine without you and your muffins and your endless concern." She snapped. "I'm sorry you had to be here when everything happened. It must have been awfully traumatic for you but please, stop trying to make me feel angry or…or depressed or whatever else you want me feel because it's not happening." Her voice was beginning to sound a bit desperate as she forcefully continued scrubbing the already clean counter. "Just let it go."

Bree listened to Katherine but heard her own voice. She heard herself talking to Lynette after Rex had passed, telling her that it was just his time and that she had accepted his death, when in reality she had spent the entire morning hysterical on the bathroom floor. She remembered the sound of her voice when Danielle confronted her about abandoning Andrew, and how she had said it was for the best, even though the agony she was experiencing was unbearable. She felt not only Katherine's anguish, but also her pride. And she knew that as deep as her grief ran, her pride was even deeper and much tougher to break.

"Okay." Bree gently placed her hand on top of Katherine's, keeping it still so she would momentarily stop scrubbing. She hesitated, "Looks pretty clean." Katherine nodded, slowly pulling herself away.

"Katherine?" Bree was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable with the silence.

"What."

"Shall we discuss the flower arrangements for the Smith wedding?"

"What?" Katherine's demeanor transformed in a matter of seconds. "Oh…oh! Yes, of course. I…well, I was thinking pink and red roses. They'd look lovely with the tablecloth, don't you agree?"

"Pink and red? Honey this isn't Valentine's Day. And might I remind you we haven't actually agreed on a tablecloth yet. What about violets..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Katherine Mayfair suffered from terrible nightmares. She would wake in a cold sweat, unbearably envious of those who were able to simply shrug off such terrors by telling themselves that they were only having a bad dream. She did not have such luxury, for her nightmares could hardly be considered dreams, but rather windows to the past. Sleep did not provide Katherine with rest, but instead forced her to relive the most painful experiences of her life over and over again. As trying and merciless as reality was becoming, she certainly preferred being awake. She had much more control over her mind that way.

For the past fourteen years, Katherine hadn't spoken about the death of her only child, Dylan. And with such a quick adoption of her new daughter, it was easier than expected to settle into a cocoon of denial. She had focused so much energy on making sure that others believed that the Romanian orphan was the same child she carried, that it seemed plausible for her to start believing it as well. This was an innate defense mechanism, of course. For if she were to try and actually come to terms with what happened…well, she wouldn't have survived.

Now, suddenly, after being forced to tell her story, she felt her daughter's presence in a way that she had never experienced before. She could hear the sound of her voice; feel the softness of her skin. Katherine did not allow these sensations to interfere with her relationship with Dylan, of course. She had raised the girl for most of her life, and did not feel as though she was no longer her child just because the girl knew the truth. No, she loved Dylan and Dylan loved her. That was just about the only constant in her life, and she clung to it desperately. Katherine refused to destroy the irreversible bond the two of them shared. However, she also knew that she was finally beginning to grieve for the child she lost so many years ago.

Of course grieving was terribly inconvenient, and Katherine had a busy schedule to keep up with. Falling apart was hardly an option, considering she had to take care of herself. The only person she felt somewhat comfortable leaning on was Adam, and he moved back to his hometown in California just as soon as he was well enough. Katherine was indebted to Adam, as he had saved her life, but the two decided that it would be best if they separated permanently. While she certainly did not approve, Katherine had no choice but to agree. After all, how could she accuse Adam of running away from his fears when she had spent so much of her life doing just that.

As each day passed it was becoming more and more difficult for Bree to get through to Katherine. She thought about Lynette, and her harsh confrontational style, but realized that she was far too ladylike to go that route. She considered Susan, and her easy-going attitude that made her so easy to open up to. This was also not quite Bree's forte. She knew that she was just as sensitive and caring, if not more so than some of her friends. What she could not do, however, was pry deep enough to get someone to talk.

"Bree, are you home? We need to discuss dessert options!" The redhead heard Katherine calling outside of her door.

"We're scheduled to meet at one, aren't we?" The redhead opened the door, glancing down at her watch. "It's only ten o'clock, and I just put Benjamin down for a nap." She reasoned.

"Well, perfect timing then." Katherine grinned, letting herself in.

"Yes, Katherine. Please do come in." Bree retorted sarcastically.

"Oh, come on. There's nothing wrong with getting an early start." Katherine settled down on the couch.

Bree took a seat next to her friend and neighbor. "Will it make a difference if I say that I would rather wait until one?"

"Not really."

"I didn't think so." Bree sighed, taking in Katherine's appearance. She was dressed beautifully, her hair done to perfection, but there was a look of utter exhaustion that all the primping in the world could not cover. She was also fidgeting a bit, as if she had too much caffeine. "Well, let's get started then."

The two chatted about red velvet cake, cookies, and lemon meringue pie as if they were going out of style. They finalized just about everything else for the upcoming wedding party, and managed to do so in under two hours time.

"Well, we finished that rather quickly, I'd say." Bree got some kind of a thrill from getting something done so much faster than expected.

"We did." Katherine replied, clearly a bit agitated that her work was done. "I should get home." She said to herself, though she didn't appear to be getting up.

Bree realized exactly what was going on. Katherine was afraid to be alone. Not because she feared someone breaking in or coming after her, but because she did not want to be left with her own mind. "Why don't you stay for lunch?" She sympathized.

"It's no trouble?"

"None at all." She raised herself off the couch.

Bree knew to keep the lunchtime conversation light, but about twenty minutes in she decided to take the initiative and pry just a bit. "How's Dylan?" She inquired.

Katherine's appeared somewhat panic-stricken upon hearing her daughter's name. "She's doing well." She stated. "How's Orson?" Two could play at that game.

"Oh, I imagine he's doing just fine." She slowly stirred her tea. "Does Dylan…well, does she know that she…that you…" Bree stumbled on her words.

"Yes." Katherine resented Bree's questioning. "Are you going to get back together with Orson?" Truth be told she couldn't care less, but she figured that the quickest way to get Bree to stop talking was to delve into her personal life.

The redhead smiled, "This conversation isn't about me." She took a small bite out of her sandwich. "I want to talk to _you_, Katherine." She felt herself becoming more confident. "I understand your hesitation, I do. But pretending like nothing ever happened isn't going to work. Please. We'll both feel so much better if – "

"_We'll_ feel better? _We_, as in the two of us? What the hell do I owe you?" Katherine rose from her seat, heading straight for the door.

"Katherine, wait."

"Here's a little secret you don't know." She was not afraid to look Bree in the eye. "I wish more than anything that you didn't know about my life, but you've made it very clear that you do. So let me remind you that I didn't invite you in to hear about it. It's not like we had some heart-to-heart where I confessed my deepest and darkest secrets. No, I was being held at gunpoint and you were there. He would have…" She felt tears building up, but was able to contain them. "Wayne would have killed you if I didn't talk. He would have."

"I know." Bree lowered her head, unable to say anything more.

"So, no. I don't really think I owe you anything, Bree. You, on the other hand, owe me plenty. I saved your life. So do me a favor, and stop trying to be some kind of a hero, and just be my business partner. I've told you once and I'll tell you again. I don't need your pity."


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews! :)

**Chapter 3**

Katherine truly believed that she had figured out her friend, Bree. She thought that the two of them were just alike. Bree's recent behavior, however, had proved her wrong. She assumed that someone like Bree would avoid discussing what had happened at all costs. That she wouldn't dare to bring up the secrets Katherine had shared. Yet this was certainly not the case. And so Katherine decided to deal with Bree as she handled so many of her other issues. She avoided her.

It took very little time for Bree to realize that she was being ignored. After Katherine failed to return her last six phone calls, it became fairly obvious. However, business was business, and since the two of them were partners, Bree firmly believed that she always had an excuse to pay Katherine a visit.

"Katherine I see your car outside. I know you're home!" Bree pounded on her neighbor's door. She was ready to give Katherine a piece of her mind.

"Bree." Katherine swung open the door, forcing a smile as she looked at the woman she had tried so hard to keep away. She had a look of sheer frustration plastered on her face, yet her eyes were full of obvious concern. "I've recently replaced this door, so in the future if you could ring the bell rather than pounding on it like some kind of escaped inmate, I'd really appreciate it."

"Katherine Mayfair you have been ignoring my calls."

"Have I?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Bree brushed past Katherine, making her way inside. "I've done nothing to deserve this!"

"You know," Katherine spun to face her neighbor. "Now's not really a good time."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Bree ignored Katherine's request for her to leave. "You do realize that the Smith wedding is in two days, don't you? Two days and you're ignoring my phone calls! What if there was some kind of emergency and I couldn't get in touch with you?" She lectured. "This is not how you handle business!"

"Well somehow you've managed to track me down." Katherine hovered over Bree, her arms crossed. "Now, about this emergency..."

"I don't appreciate your tone." Bree felt as if she were speaking to one of her children.

"Did the groom drop dead?" Katherine combed a few fingers through her hair, as she walked toward the kitchen. "Bride flee the country?"

"I was speaking hypothetically."

"Mother suddenly disown the bride for marrying out of the religion? Best man gone missing?" Katherine carried on, deriving a bit of pleasure from the fact that she was bothering Bree.

"What is your problem!" The redhead snapped.

"Calm down, will you?" Katherine responded coolly. "I was simply listing some of the reasonable excuses you would have to come barging into my home uninvited." She smirked.

"Uninvited?" Bree lowered her voice slightly, clearly hurt by the remark. "Katherine, we're…" She was hesitant to use the word 'friends'. "Partners."…so she avoided it. "I wasn't aware I needed an invitation to discuss our business."

"Yes, we're partners. Partners who finished a job two days ago." She retorted. "And wasn't I the one who showed up at your house three hours early to finish planning?"

"Yes, well. That may be true, but even so..." She trailed off, realizing that her argument was rather weak.

"But you're not here to talk business, are you?" Katherine picked up one of her coffee-table books and delicately flipped through the pages.

"Katherine, you can't just shut me out because you're afraid."

"Afraid of what, you?" Katherine laughed. "I see. Well, you are a bit frightening. Those pants are much too tight." She pointed.

Bree smoothed out the crease from her right pant leg. "Go ahead, keep pushing me away." She encouraged, speaking with a sense of confidence that took Katherine by surprise. "What, you think I don't know what you're trying to do?" She chuckled. "That I haven't distanced myself from friends because I was afraid we were getting too close? Afraid that I might slip up and give way to my imperfections? Who do you think you're dealing with here?" She crossed one leg over the other, getting a bit more comfortable. "I know you better than anyone, and I know that scares you. To be quite honest it scares me too."

Katherine was silent for a moment as she processed what had been said. Eventually she looked up at the redhead, speaking slowly, her tone transformed from light and casual to dark and spiteful. "You know absolutely nothing." She felt her face flushing. "You've gotten the cliff notes of my story, but you don't know the half of it. Were you aware that I was afraid to go to sleep at night because I thought my husband would suffocate me?" She fixed her eyes on an empty spot across the room. "Or how about the death of a child? Any experience with that?" Katherine focused on Bree, who was beginning to look quite uncomfortable. "Yeah." She shrugged. "Me neither, since I had to deny her death up until two weeks ago." She waited a moment for Bree to say something, but when it was clear she was far too stunned to respond, Katherine continued. "You have no right to say you know me better than anyone. You know what I told you. That's all."

Bree was shocked by the intensity of Katherine's words, but managed to respond. "You're right. You're absolutely right." She shifted in her seat. "I don't know any of the details about what you went through, and I've never experienced anything like it. But I've had my fair share of suffering, and I do know what it's like to go through it alone. To make pride your priority instead of your sanity. I know what that's like, Katherine. I'm not asking for you to tell me everything. I just know that you shouldn't be alone."

"That was all very touching." Katherine replied sarcastically. "But Bree, I don't need you." Katherine raised her voice slightly. "Why can't you see that?" She sunk down on the couch, holding her head in her hands. "What do I have to do to convince you that I can get through this on my own?" She lowered her voice, "Do I need to be a bit more cheerful? Should I call for daily lunch plans?" She carried on.

"Would you stop it."

"Oh, I know." Katherine lifted her head. "My house is too clean, right? The sure sign that someone is masking emotion is obsessive cleaning. Touché!" She jolted up, making her way into the kitchen. She then yanked open her cabinets, grabbing two plates. "Here," she smashed the two plates. "Is that better?"

"What are you doing!" Bree had expected Katherine to put up a fight, but was in no way prepared for this. She jumped back as another plate was thrown to the ground. "Stop!" She grabbed her friend's wrist.

"Get OFF!" Katherine shouted now, wriggling free from Bree's grip. "Don't touch me!" She had a look of pure fury in her eyes. "Don't you dare touch me." Her voice wavered as she slowly backed away from Bree. "Get out of my house." She was quiet now. "Get out."

Bree eyed the front door. How much easier her life would be if she were to simply do as she was told and leave. She wanted nothing more than to escape from the situation she found herself in. She hadn't expected Katherine to become so volatile. How was she supposed to handle her? Bree took one step toward the door. It was so close. Her escape could be so easy, and it was what Katherine wanted after all…

"I can't do that." She whispered, her words barely audible.

"Get the hell out, Bree." Katherine's tone was nothing short of vicious.

Bree felt tears welling up. She was actually terrified of what was to come. She thought of herself breaking down in front of a friend, and how it would ultimately destroy her. She wanted so badly to leave Katherine with her dignity, but she couldn't do it. She wouldn't do it.

She slowly approached Katherine, taking her by the wrist once again. "Listen to me." She felt a single tear escape. "You saved my life, and you were right when you said that I owe you for it. I do. I owe it to you not to be alone when this all comes to the surface. I owe it to you to break down the wall that you've worked so hard to put up. You saved my life, Katherine. So I'm sorry, but I can't leave you right now."


	4. Chapter 4

Heavy on the angst! What can you do. Thanks for the replies! :)

**Chapter 4**

Never had Katherine encountered such persistence from a friend. Everyone always left, regardless of whether or not they had been asked to do so. She was uncertain of how to handle someone so stubborn, and although she knew in the back of her mind that Bree was just being a good friend, she felt an undeniable sense of hurt. Pained by the fact that despite her pleas and demands, Bree refused to leave her in peace.

Bree was actually quite proud of her ability to speak to Katherine with such raw honesty, rather than simply turning her back as she had done with so many friends in the past. There was no denying that her relationship with Katherine was unique from that with her other friends. There was an irrefutable connection between the two of them. A connection that had began as a rivalry, but was slowly blossoming into a deep-rooted friendship.

The two women stared intently at one another, each waiting for the other to make the first move. It was clear they were uncomfortable with the scenario: Katherine unsure if she could accept comfort from a friend, and Bree wondering if she would be able to provide such support. Bree loosened her grip around her friend's wrist, allowing Katherine to quite literally run away if she should choose. But she didn't run. Instead she ran a few fingers over the spot where a faint imprint had been left in place of Bree's tight grasp. The sense of hurt that she had experienced just a few moments earlier was now being replaced with a feeling of defeat.

"You just want to see me fall." Katherine murmured, taking a seat on the couch.

Bree hesitated, choosing her words wisely. "Do you really believe that?" For the first time Bree realized that the ongoing rivalry between Katherine and herself ran much deeper than friendly competition. "You can trust me." She tried reassuring her friend, all the while painfully aware that it would take much more than just a few words to conquer Katherine's deep-seated trust issues.

"Can I?" Katherine tried sounding nonchalant, though her question was sincere.

"Listen to me." The redhead took a seat, careful not to get too close to Katherine in case of another outburst. "In the beginning, maybe I did." She picked at her nails. "You seemed like a first rate version of myself. A better cook, baker, decorator…everything I had worked so hard for seemed to come so naturally to you. I envied you. I was afraid that somehow your pie recipe would lead to my demise." She chuckled softly, waiting for Katherine to make a sly remark. "But things are different now." She moved a bit closer to the other woman. "If I wanted to see you go down, I wouldn't have bothered coming by here tonight. I would just let you go deeper and deeper until you would either die or pack up and leave town." The intensity of her words visibly shook Katherine. "I understand if you're hesitant to trust me, but at least try to believe me when I say that the last thing I want is for you to fall."

Katherine nodded slowly, trying to take in the bitter truth of Bree's words. She felt her heartbeat quicken, her breath becoming more ragged. A pressure was building in the back of her throat, and realizing that tears were inevitable, she buried her head in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees for support.

Bree craned her neck to see that Katherine was covering her mouth. She recognized that she was trying to muffle her cries: one last desperate attempt to hold onto a sense of control. She cautiously rested one hand on her friend's shoulder, and when she saw that Katherine was not backing away, she added a bit more pressure. "It's only me." Her voice was weaker than she would have expected. "You don't have to prove how strong you are." She paused, neatly tucking Katherine's hair behind her ear. "I already know."

Upon hearing Bree's last few words, Katherine finally allowed herself to give in and let go. She was struck by a wave of emotion, and her tears followed soon after, grateful for a much needed release. She began trembling as her sobs intensified, and when Bree delicately held her, she involuntarily clung to her like a child who had just woken from a terrible nightmare.

Bree held her friend close, rocking her gently. She took a moment, in the midst of everything, to think back to the last time that she had a good cry. When she couldn't remember, she tried to think of a bad cry, or any cry at all. Before she could get lost in thought, however, she felt the circulation in her arms being cut off from how tightly her friend was clinging to her. "Shh." She whispered, gently kissing the top of Katherine's head. "I'm not going anywhere." Bree barely recognized her own voice. She could not recall the last time she had spoken with such conviction. She wasn't even sure that had ever felt so certain about anything in her life. "I'll be right here."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Katherine's breakdown left her both physically and mentally exhausted. She was so knocked out that the distance from the couch to her bedroom seemed like an impossible commute. Yet she was not all too concerned about getting upstairs to bed. Katherine felt far more comfortable sprawled out on the couch, her head resting on Bree's lap. She had wanted nothing more than for her friend and neighbor to leave her alone, but now that she was here, Katherine realized how much she actually needed her.

"Do you want some water? Or I can make tea if you prefer." Bree interrupted Katherine's train of thought.

"I'm good." She knew that it would take all of her remaining strength to get through a cup of tea.

"You're probably a bit dehydrated, dear. It might be a good idea." The redhead realized that she was treating Katherine as if she were a child. "Nevermind." She added, rather embarrassed.

"I'm sorry." Katherine hadn't heard much of Bree's remark about dehydration, nor did she care. She was much more concerned with apologizing for her irrational behavior. "I was out of line." Katherine hated asking for forgiveness. When she was married to Wayne she found herself apologizing far more than necessary, and once she regained her freedom she vowed to express regret only when she felt truly and genuinely sorry.

"Don't be silly." The redhead soothed, combing her fingers through her friend's curls. She was surprised with the amount of affection she was showing. Feeling warmth toward another person was an easy feat, but as the men throughout her life knew far too well, demonstrating it was much more complicated. "There's no need to apologize."

Katherine was not the type to try and read between the lines or dote on intonation when it came to the words of others. Bree claimed to accept her apology, and so there was no need to carry on further with unnecessary acts of remorse. "You were right, you know." She cleared her throat.

Bree continued twirling a few stray curls. "Hm?"

"I am a better cook, baker, and decorator than you." Sarcasm was evident in her tone, despite her obvious tiredness.

"Well," Bree couldn't help but smile, grateful for some much needed comic relief. "I'm glad you were able to take something I said to heart."

"No, but honestly." Katherine stretched out her hand, finding Bree's and holding it loosely. "Thank you, Bree."

For Bree, this basic display of gratitude had made all of her efforts worthwhile. "My pleasure." She released Katherine's hand, watching as it dropped back down to her side. "You seem exhausted, sweetie, and rightfully so. Why don't you try resting your eyes for a while?" She suggested, feeling the other woman tense slightly. She leaned forward, trying to get a glimpse of Katherine's expression. "What is it?"

"Nothing. It's just…" She hesitated. "It's nothing."

"Must we go through all of this again?" Bree, a bit tired herself, was hardly in the mood to pry for any more information.

"It's just that I don't sleep very well." Katherine admitted.

Bree delicately pressed her friend's shoulder, hardly surprised with her most recent revelation. She had picked up on the ever-darkening circles underneath Katherine's eyes over the past couple of weeks. "I see." She nodded. "Well, I'll be right here. So if you can't fall asleep, or if you were to wake up…it's hardly a problem. I've got a baby in the house so I'm accustomed to waking up at all hours. There's nothing to worry about." She reassured.

"Please don't take pity on me." Katherine spoke more firmly now.

"Katherine, if I needed a charity project I would host another bake sale." Bree hoped that her answer would satisfy Katherine's insecurity.

"Fair enough." She was too tired to second-guess, and although Katherine was less than thrilled with the idea of drifting off into what she assumed would be another fitful sleep, she didn't see any other option. Sitting up clearly required too much energy, and so after a moment's hesitation, she reluctantly closed her eyes.

As promised, Bree stayed with Katherine until she was confident that she had fallen into a moderately deep sleep. The redhead slid down and off of the couch, careful not to wake the other woman. When she was sure that Katherine was indeed still asleep, she headed toward the kitchen.

Bree sighed, narrowing her eyes on the mess of broken dishes that covered a good portion of the wood floor. It took little time for her to locate a dustpan, and she immediately began cleaning up from the evening. What may be seen as a chore for others was actually a welcome distraction in Bree's eyes. She feared being alone with her own thoughts in light of all that she had just been through. Beyond that, Bree was still haunted by the memory of her own life having been compromised just upstairs. She had gotten about halfway through picking up the shattered pieces when she heard footsteps. "I could have sworn you'd fallen asleep!" She exclaimed without bothering to look up.

"Oh…uh, she is. Asleep I mean." Dylan had just come in after spending the night with a few friends. She was uneasy, watching as her neighbor picked up the scattered remains of what were clearly her dinner plates.

"Dylan!" Bree leapt up, feeling like an intruder in the young girl's home.

"I just got in." Dylan saw the horrified look on Bree's face transform into an awkward and forced smile.

"Oh!" Bree tucked her hair back, struggling to choose the appropriate direction for their conversation. "I was just keeping your mother company."

"I see." The girl nodded, unconvinced. "Was dinner all that bad?" She stared at the broken dishes. Dylan's tone was a tad sarcastic, clearly a trait she had picked up from her mother.

"It was a bit of a difficult evening." The redhead kept the awkward smile plastered on her face.

Dylan crossed her arms, stepping carefully around the mess. She rested her weight on the kitchen counter, "You can leave it, I'll clean up."

"Oh, no." Bree wondered if the girl was being polite or if that had been an invitation to leave. "That's alright, thank you. I told your mother I would stay." She feared what Dylan would say next, "Would you like me to fix something for you to eat?" She offered, hopeful that the girl would take a snack and call it a night.

"Mrs. Hodge?" Dylan shifted her weight.

"Yes?" Bree got back to cleaning. She had never been all that comfortable around teenagers, and sweet as she was, Dylan was no exception.

"So, do you know…" she paused, "Everything?"

"Yes." The older woman nodded slowly.

Dylan did not appear to be angry or hurt, but instead a look of shame loomed over her normally perky and upbeat expression. "So, is she okay?" She asked, obviously referring to Katherine, but also changing the subject to something a bit more general.

"Your mother is a very strong woman." Bree flashed an uncertain smile. "It's just going to take some time." She emptied a few more shattered pieces into the trash. She waited for the girl to respond, but when the silence started to feel uncomfortable she continued. "Is everything alright between you two?"

Dylan chuckled, playing with the two silver bracelets she wore on her left wrist. "She lied to me my entire life. I'm not her real daughter…I'm just "Dylan's" replacement." She shrugged. "So…" Dylan lingered for a moment, "You would think I hated her. I'd have reason to, and I kind of thought I did when she first told me everything. I never wanted to see her again, you know. I really didn't." She carried on, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "But I don't hate her. Accident or not, she's the only woman I've ever known to be my mother and she's given me a great life. Who knows where I would have ended up if she hadn't come for me." She took a sip of water. "And you were here, you know what happened. She could have died because of me. I let Wayne into my life after she told me so many times that he was bad news." She shook her head. "Everything she's done has been to protect us." She looked out toward the couch where her mother was still sleeping soundly. "Besides, she's all I have. If I cut her out of my life, I'm alone." She placed the bottle back into the fridge. "And who wants that?"

"No one, I suppose." Bree replied, in awe of Dylan's maturity. She was certain that her children would abandon her with no remorse if she had withheld such an awful truth.

"So, to answer your question," She offered a half-smile. "Things are okay between us. Not perfect or anything, but she's my mom and I love her." She studied Bree's expression and wasn't quite sure why the older woman appeared to be so perplexed. "Anyway, stay as long as you want. I'll be in my room." She turned, "Oh, but one thing. If a kid named Eric happens to call, tell him I moved or something." She rolled her eyes, "He's such a creep." And with that, Dylan disappeared up the stairs.

"Right." Bree answered though the girl was already out of sight. She envied the fact that even after experiencing life-altering trauma, the simplicity of the young adult mind still managed to shine through.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

After her brief, yet powerful encounter with Dylan, Bree finished cleaning the kitchen and then returned to check up on Katherine. She was relieved to see that her friend was still fast asleep, seemingly undisturbed by nightmares. Unfortunately, with Katherine sleeping soundly, Bree had nothing to do but take in the silence. It took little time for the quiet to become unnerving, and so Bree decided it best to try and get some sleep. Considering her only option for a bed was a relatively small armchair, getting comfortable proved to be quite challenging. Nonetheless, Bree had promised to stay with Katherine and she wouldn't dare break her word.

Despite her discomfort, Bree managed to get a few hours of sleep. Unfortunately, she woke just as soon as the sunlight illuminated the room. She scooted around in her chair, desperately hoping to get comfortable once again, but when she realized it was a lost cause, she rose to her feet, careful not to wake Katherine.

Bree tip-toed into the kitchen, momentarily engrossed by the faint green glow emanating from the digital clock on the microwave. 6:13, she read. She stretched, feeling a bit sore from the sleeping arrangement. She combed a few fingers through her red hair and crept upstairs to the bathroom. The short trip brought her back two weeks to the day when Wayne held her and Katherine hostage. She felt herself shiver, but tried to simply dismiss her thoughts.

She was about to go back downstairs when she was haunted once again by her memory. Although Bree knew that revisiting the site where such trauma had occurred would likely be counterproductive, she headed toward the empty room. She glanced back to make sure that Dylan was not coming out of her bedroom, and once she could see that the coast was clear, she headed into the area.

Bree pulled her sleeves down, as if the extra inch of fabric over her arms would warm her body. She knelt down on the floor, right where Katherine had been sitting when she told her story. She looked up once again to be certain that no one was in the doorway, and proceeded to gradually pull up the carpet, revealing the gouge in the wooden floor.

Upon seeing the mark on the floor, Bree was overcome with countless emotions, the most intense being immeasurable sadness for the child who she never knew, but who she could very well picture in her mind. She envisioned a little girl with long, dark hair and deep eyes running freely through her home. She hadn't a care in the world. After all, she didn't know that her father, who she referred to as 'daddy', had beaten her mother so many times. All she knew was that he loved her, and that was all that mattered. He had brought her a brand new doll and she just wanted to hold it while she slept. It was all so innocent…so beautifully childlike. And now young Dylan would forever remain in such a juvenile state. Never to grow and come to understand the true horrors she had been living with all of her life.

Then Bree's mind wandered over to Katherine, the poor woman literally forced to bury her only daughter and replace her as if nothing had ever happened. How one person could possibly be so strong and resilient, Bree hadn't a clue. She couldn't fathom how one could recover from such tragedy. Of course, Katherine hadn't actually recovered. She had just focused all of her time and energy on making it seem as though she had.

Overpowered by her thoughts, Bree felt a single tear roll down her cheek, and although a bit concerned with how deeply involved she was becoming with Katherine's past, she allowed herself to release a few more silent tears.

"Ahem." Katherine had been watching the redhead for about a minute or so before making her presence known.

Startled, Bree hurriedly placed the rug back over the gouge in the floor, and then clumsily wiped her eyes with her shirtsleeves. "I…I didn't realize you were awake. I just, I was just…" She had neglected to conjure up a decent excuse beforehand, and so now she was lost for words.

Katherine gently approached her friend, touched by her obvious sadness. Any doubts that she had about Bree's sincerity were now a mere afterthought. "Come." She smiled softly, extending her hand out to her friend. "I'll make breakfast."

"What are you doing here so early!" After a casual breakfast with Katherine, Bree had finally gone home. She had hoped to have a few hours for herself before Orson came to drop off Benjamin, but unfortunately had no such luck. "It's seven o'clock in the morning!"

"Darling," Although his relationship with Bree was in danger, Orson continued to call her darling. "I tried calling, but you didn't answer. I've got an emergency at the office and need to be there by 7:30." He carefully placed Benjamin in Bree's arms.

"Oh." Bree realized there was no point in arguing. After all, it was her own fault that she hadn't been home to receive his calls. "Well, thank you for taking care of Benjamin." She said politely.

He studied his wife. "Bree, weren't you wearing that same outfit yesterday?" He realized that he might have offended her. "You look beautiful! It just isn't typical for you to repeat an outfit."

"Orson, please." Bree massaged her temples. She was exhausted and had used all of her compassion on Katherine. "Yes, it's the same outfit, although I must say I'm disgusted that you would remember what I wear from day-to-day." She realized she hadn't justified her answer yet. "I just got home five minutes ago." She watched as Orson's eyes widened. "No, it's not what you think." She held up her hand. "Believe me."

"Is everything alright? You look exhausted." He almost reached for her hand, but then thought better of it.

"Fine, thank you." Bree dismissed Orson's concern. "Now if you'll excuse me." She held Benjamin in one arm and went to close the door with the other.

Bree stood in the doorway for a moment, her face blank, but her mind racing. She held Benjamin close, kissing him lightly on the forehead. Never had she felt such a strong obligation to protect a child as she did right now. She felt her heart race, thinking of all that could happen to this innocent little baby in her arms. "I'll be right here." She whispered, realizing that she had said the same thing to Katherine the night before. "I'll never leave you, I promise."


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the feedback! And to answer the question about Orson...no, he's not going to be a real character in this. Just mentions of him, really. It's primarily Kathree friendship.

**Chapter 7**

"Hello?" Bree propped up the telephone between her neck and shoulder while simultaneously preparing lunch.

"Bree." Katherine greeted. It had been a couple of days since her initial breakdown, and while she had expected some sort of awkwardness to develop between the two of them, they only seemed to be getting closer.  
"Katherine, hi." She added a dash of salt to her spinach soufflé. "How are you today?" Sometimes she felt as if she were treating Katherine like some sort of recovering addict. She always asked how she was doing on a particular day, rather than making a more general statement.

"Oh, about the same." Katherine answered truthfully.

"Did you sleep well last night?" The redhead questioned, twisting herself up in the phone cord as she opened up the refrigerator.

"Not terrible." The truth was that Katherine had actually slept very well, but didn't want to say anything in case it jinxed her good fortune. "Listen, what are you doing tonight?"

"Tonight? Oh, not much of anything." She turned down the stovetop, still focusing mainly on her cooking and only slightly on the phone conversation. "Why, what did you have in mind?"

Katherine smiled deviously on the other line. "Can you get a sitter for Benjamin?"

"I'm sure I can arrange that, but you didn't answer my question."

"Wonderful. I'll see you at seven, then." She swiftly hung up.

"Katherine!" Bree raised her voice, though she had already heard the click on the other line. "Great." She muttered, trying to convince herself that she was frustrated, though in reality she felt an unquestionable sense of anticipation.

Bree arrived at her neighbor's doorstep promptly at seven o'clock that evening. Naturally she didn't arrive empty-handed. She came with a freshly baked apple pie that she had whipped up in honor of the mysterious occasion.

"Would you stop with the food, already." Katherine ushered her friend inside. "I'm going to gain twenty pounds if you keep this up."

"Oh, don't be silly. I know you just throw everything out after I leave." She waltzed into the living room, Katherine following close behind. "Anyway, now that I'm here…would you mind telling me what the occasion is?" Bree took a seat. "Not that there needs to be some sort of an event. If you just need to talk, I'm here to listen."

"No, I figured we could both use a night off from talking. I mean, how much is there to say after a while?" Katherine took a seat across from Bree. "Tonight we're drinking." She grinned.

"Excuse me?" Bree felt herself stiffen up. This was not at all what she had expected. "Drinking, as in…alcohol?"

"Is that what the kids call it these days?" Katherine teased. "Yes, Bree. Alcohol. We could use it."

"I don't think that's a good idea, honestly." The redhead crossed and re-crossed her legs. "There's really no reason for it." She forced a smile, knowing how hypocritical she was being.

"Fine." Katherine nodded. "You know, you're right."

"Am I?" Bree looked entirely unconvinced. There was no way she could win an argument so easily.

"Oh, absolutely. You're much more rational than I am." She complimented. "Let's just have, say, one glass of wine?"

"Well, alright. I suppose just one won't hurt." Bree agreed.

"How did this happen!" Bree shouted in the midst of her uncontrollable laughter. She was referring to the pool of wine that she had spilled from the bottle while aiming for her empty glass.

"You just…" Katherine could barely speak through her laughter. "You completely missed the glass, what do you mean, 'what happened'?" She held her stomach, starting to feel it ache from laughing so hard. She and Bree were no longer sitting on the couch, somehow having ended up on the floor. They sat side by side, a bottle of wine in between them. Katherine had lost track of how many glasses she had, but knew that she'd reached her limit. Bree, on the other hand, kept on going.

"Pour me another." Bree was not slurring her words, but it was clear that she was far from sober. "Please." She smiled sweetly.

"Oh, but Bree." Katherine spoke in a high voice, mocking her friend. "You're only to have one glass."

"I've only had two…three…five?" She sounded like a first grader trying to solve a math problem.

"Five might be right. I can't keep track." Katherine smiled, stretching out her legs. "But what does it matter? Don't you feel so good right now?"

"Yes, but you should have made me stop." Bree giggled, playfully hitting her friend. "No, seriously." She tried to force a serious expression, but couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"But doesn't it feel good to laugh? I never see you laugh."

"I laugh!" Bree retorted, braiding a few strands of hair. "I laugh all the time." She carried on, all the while knowing that she _had_ allowed her sense of humor to dry up considerably over the past few years. "And even if I didn't, I still shouldn't have drink…drunken…drank" She searched for the right word. "I shouldn't have had so much to drink!"

"For God's sake, lighten up."

"I had a drinking problem, you know!" Bree never would have disclosed this kind of information if she hadn't been under the influence.

"No you didn't." Katherine chuckled, assuming that Bree was just making another joke. "You didn't."

"I did." It was suddenly much easier for her to stop smiling.

Katherine put her glass down, feeling a pang of guilt in her stomach. "I didn't know." She defended actions. "You should have told me!"

"Katherine!" Bree giggled, placing her finger over her mouth. "I'm right here, you don't have to yell." She continued, "Don't worry, I wasn't some kind of alcoholic. I just had a few difficult months, that's all." Katherine didn't speak, but her body language was clearly encouraging Bree to continue. "My husband, Rex, had passed away and then the other man I was dating killed himself…and then of course my children despised me." She trailed off, realizing, even in her drunken haze, that she was saying too much. Bree cleared her throat, grinning once again. "But that's all over now!" She raised her glass. "So let's toast to that."

"Wait, wait." Katherine loosely gripped Bree's forearm, bringing it back down. She took the glass out of her hand and placed it on the ground. "That's a lot to take in."

"I told you, it's over! It's not for you to worry about."

"Nothing is every really over, Bree." She took another sip of wine. "You know that." She hesitated, "Do you miss your first husband a lot? Rex, was it?"

"We were having such a lovely evening." Bree reasoned. "Must we spoil it with all of this?"

"You're not getting away with that one. You made me talk; now it's your turn. Of course, I have an advantage seeing as we're both intoxicated."

"I…" Bree paused. "I don't miss Rex as much as I should." In a sober mindset, she would have rattled off her automatic response: Of course she missed Rex. She thought of him every morning and every night. He was the father of her children and he would always have a special place in her heart. But that wasn't the case tonight.

"Isn't that terrible?" She didn't leave Katherine any time to answer. "And the days I do miss him, I think it's more because he was the father of my children than because he was my husband." She stared at the ground, mainly because she couldn't focus her eyes on anything else. "Do you think I'm an awful person?" She posed the question she had been longing to ask ever since Rex had first passed away, but hadn't gotten up the courage until now.

Katherine took Bree's hand in her own, an act that she would not typically feel comfortable doing. "No." She replied. "I think you've just moved on."

Bree nodded silently, enjoying the feeling of acceptance and understanding that could only come from a true friend.

"And the one who killed himself…?" Katherine inquired.

"Ugh, George." Bree lifted her head and rolled her eyes. "Not tonight. I'd need about eight more glasses before telling that story."

"Fine." Katherine shrugged. "But you're not off the hook just yet." She smirked. "Tell me about Orson."

"Oh, I love Orson." The words came out before Bree even had a chance to think about her response. Alcohol reveals what the mind feels, and she was now regretting how much wine she'd consumed that evening.

"And yet you're separated." Katherine eyed her friend, who was now blushing.

"Katherine, he committed a terrible crime." She could have had twenty glasses of wine; Bree was not going to tell Katherine what Orson had done.

"Okay." Katherine could feel Bree's resistance. "Well, so did I."

"It's completely different, trust me. You did what you had to. He…he didn't." She gulped down any remaining white wine from her glass. "And you're not my husband!"

"So it would make it even easier to push me away! Think about it. If you were somehow turned off by what you saw that day and decided to shut me out of your life, I wouldn't stop you. I wouldn't sit outside of your house day and night begging for you to be my friend again."

Bree laughed. "I would hope not. That would be rather pathetic."

"My point is that Orson _will_ do that for you. And he has been doing it. He loves you, he's a great father, and he treats you well." She leaned in closer, forcing Bree to make eye contact. "And you love him." She felt tears welling up in the back of her eyes. "Don't you dare let him go. If you love someone, and they love you…you don't just throw that away because you're too proud. If I could get Adam back - " She had to stop herself for a moment to regain composure. "Well, I would do almost anything. But he doesn't love me anymore and there's nothing I can do. He's moved on. But you…you have a man who loves you. Don't you ever, _ever_ take that for granted." She felt her voice waver, her eyes now were glazed over with tears.

"Okay." Bree nodded, seeing how upset Katherine was getting. "Sweetheart, it's okay. Come." She gently took her into her arms. "Thank you." She was truly struck by Katherine's blunt honesty. "You're right. You're absolutely right." She meant what she said. She had put her pride on the top of her priority list instead of the man she loved.

"Besides." Katherine continued, still wrapped up in Bree's embrace. "Orson's perfect for you. What, with the argyle sweaters and his love for baked goods… I really can't see you with anyone else."

Bree laughed, pulling back and coming face-to-face with her friend once again. "Now you listen to me, okay?" She waited for Katherine to acknowledge her request. "Just because there isn't a man in your life doesn't mean you're alone."

"I know. We've been through this. You're only a fifteen second walk away, morning, noon, and night." She spoke as though she were rehearsing for a play.

"Well, yes. But I'm talking about your daughter." She took a breath. "She loves you so much, Katherine. Genuinely, truly, loves you. That's more than I can say for my own two kids." She smiled sadly. "So you're not alone. Husband or no husband, you've got all you need."

"I know." Katherine nodded. "Dylan's the only thing that's kept me going." She brushed away a few stray tears. "I would do anything for her. Really, anything." She felt herself chuckling, now. "Though I don't need to tell you that."

Bree smiled, glad the tension between the two of them was finally breaking. She shook the empty wine bottle. "No more?" She frowned, changing the subject.

"You already spilled wine all over my floor, I don't need you throwing up on it too." Katherine teased. "Besides, you have to get home eventually. Can't abandon your babysitter."

Bree tried standing up, tripping over her own two feet in the process. "Oh, the sitter. Right. Funny thing about the babysitter, actually."

"Hm?" Katherine raised her eyebrows.

"It's Orson."

"In your house? Right now?"

"Maybe." Bree felt herself blush.

"Well then, lets get you home before you sober up." Katherine grinned deviously, showing Bree the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It had now been just over a month had since Katherine had relived her haunting past, revealing her innermost secrets in the process. Although each day proved to be a struggle, Katherine firmly believed that time would heal all wounds, and that she needed to focus on getting through each day, rather than concentrating her energy on the future. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, as she was slowly returning to her normal routine. She eased her way back into her comfortable lifestyle of working with Bree on their catering business, and being a full-time mother for Dylan. Yet when Katherine managed, despite her best efforts, to momentarily escape from all of her responsibilities, her mind would automatically wander back in time, reminding her of exactly what had shaped her into the person she was today.

Right next door, Bree's life was finally beginning to fall into place on again as well. Although she found that forgiving Orson was not quite as easy as Katherine had made it out to be, she did manage to sacrifice her pride for her husband. As soon as she had finally welcomed him back into her life, she began to experience happiness once again.

Bree was also pleased with the direction that her friendship with Katherine was taking. She took comfort in the fact that she had helped her friend through one of the most difficult periods of her life, but was also relieved to see that Katherine was slowly coming back to herself. Regardless, Bree continued to spend a great deal of time with her friend and neighbor. Only now it was not solely because she was worried about her, but because she simply enjoyed Katherine's company.

"You need to get out." Bree mentioned one afternoon over a cup of coffee. "Now that you're feeling better, I think it would be a good idea to…oh, I don't know…socialize a bit."

"People look at you differently after they know you've shot someone." Katherine answered sarcastically, though there was a touch of sincerity in her tone.

"Come now, everyone knows it wasn't your fault." Bree causally took a sip from her mug. "No one even talks about it anymore."

"Oh, so they were talking about it, then?" Katherine questioned dryly, already knowing the answer.

"The women on this street like to gossip, but they also get tired of the same story very quickly." The redhead smiled. "Why don't you come to poker tonight? Just us and the girls…it'll be fun!" She encouraged.

"Eh, I don't know." Katherine slowly stirred her coffee, avoiding Bree's gaze. "I have things to do anyway."

"They ask for you, Katherine."

"Oh, I'm sure they do." She raised her brow, assuming that these women only had the worst things to say about her. Although she had to admit, she was a good topic of conversation; much more interesting than most, though she would gladly trade in such a title.

Bree rolled her eyes. "You're going to Lynette's at eight o'clock." She raised her hand before Katherine could interrupt. "And don't tell me you have other plans, because that's not an acceptable excuse."

Eight o'clock rolled around, and as promised, Katherine made an appearance at Lynette Scavo's house. She wasn't all too thrilled with the plan, but since Bree seemed to know what was best for her these days, she followed along. Considering that Katherine was already a decent poker player, she blended right in with the other women. She decided to play along, pretending to care when Gabrielle discussed the trials and tribulations of dealing with her blind husband, or when Susan whined about her lack of sleep. Surprisingly enough however, as the evening progressed she found herself getting lost in the conversation and actually beginning to take interest in the lives of her neighbors.

A couple of hours in, and Katherine realized that despite herself, she was actually having a wonderful evening. She was laughing, chatting, and gossiping…and it felt great. She was becoming absorbed in a catty conversation led by Susan about one of the neighbors and her cheating husband, when she noticed something, or someone rather, out of the corner of her eye.

Little Penny Scavo had pushed a kitchen chair up against the refrigerator. She was standing on her tip-toes, using all of her strength to try and reach the cookie-jar located on top of the fridge. Katherine felt her heart stop as she watched the little girl, standing dangerously close to the edge of the chair, risking her own safety for the simple satisfaction of a chocolate-chip cookie. Instantly Katherine pictured young Dylan, desperately trying to get a grip on her brand new doll, her last few minutes on the earth spent attempting to grab something that she likely would have tossed to the side within a matter of days.

"Lynette!" Katherine shouted, interrupting Susan's drawn out tale.

Lynette whipped her head around in alarm. "What! What is it?"

Katherine pointed. "Your little girl…" She struggled to find any other words.

"What?" The blonde turned, practically leaping out of her seat as soon as she saw Penny. She scooped her off the chair, taking her in her arms and sitting her down at the kitchen table. "What did I tell you about climbing like that? Don't you ever, ever do that again, you could have hurt yourself!" She scolded, all the while holding the young girl close. Once she was satisfied that Penny had learned her lesson, Lynette planted a kiss on her forehead and made her way back to the poker table.

"Kids." She shrugged. "Her brothers probably put her up to it." Lynette shook her head. "Anyway, thanks Katherine. She could have fallen if it weren't for you." She smiled genuinely, though her smile wasn't returned. Instead Katherine simply stared back at her, a blank expression disguising any sort of emotion.

"Katherine?" Susan spoke softly.

Katherine shook her head, trying to force herself back into reality. "Oh, you're welcome. Sorry if I startled you, I just um…well, you know." She was clearly out of sorts, and found herself unable to sit still. Katherine felt her chest tighten as her eyes met with Bree's. She almost wished that Bree was not there, because then she could at least try and pretend like nothing had happened. But with her one true confidant only a few feet away, Katherine knew that she would break down if she were to stay for even another five minutes.

"I'm sorry I just remembered I have to get home for um, for Dylan. She's got some big test tomorrow. I promised I'd help – " She knocked into the table, almost dropping her glass of water off of the edge. "Uh, help her study." Katherine sloppily gathered her belongings. "It was a lovely evening, thank you so much for having me, Lynette." She flashed a quick and clearly fake smile and quite literally bolted out of the house, still feeling Bree's gaze burning through her as she left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The four women who remained at the poker table were quiet: three baffled by Katherine's abrupt exit, the other wrought with worry.

"Well, that was weird." Gabrielle broke the silence. She instantly could see Bree glaring at her from the other end of the table. "It was!" She fired back, returning the redhead's dirty look.

"Yeah, what was that all about?" Lynette restated Gabrielle's claim with a touch more delicacy.

"Katherine's had a difficult month, as I'm sure you all can understand." Bree snapped. "It's hardly for us to judge what will her set off."

"Let's just get back to the game, okay?" Susan intervened, feeling the tension in the air thicken.

"I'm sorry." Bree set her cards down on the table. "I have to go after her."

"Why don't you finish out the game? Katherine probably wants to be alone anyway." Lynette replied, flipping through her cards. She glanced up and could see that Bree was torn with the decision. "You've been a good friend to her, Bree." Lynette added sincerely. "You can take the night off."

Bree smiled faintly, appreciative of Lynette's response. "I hardly consider helping out a friend to be a chore, as you all should know." She began to gather her belongings, all the while cleaning up the small mess that Katherine had left. "I'm sorry girls, but you'll need to finish without me." And with that, the redhead up and left, leaving her friends little time to comment or argue.

Bree felt goosebumps as soon as the brisk air hit her skin, as it had gotten much colder in the past week. She quickened her pace, reaching Katherine's doorstep within a matter of seconds. She nearly pounded on the door in hopes of getting her friend's attention.

"Mrs. Hodge?" The front door swung open, revealing a very confused and somewhat irritated Dylan. "Is there something you need?"

"Well, yes actually." Bree had embarrassed herself. "Is your mother home?"

"No, I thought she was with you." The girl answered. "Playing poker, or something?"

"Oh, that's right." The redhead smiled uneasily. "I left early to get home, I didn't realize she was still playing. Late night, I suppose." Bree lied, not wanting to worry the young girl. "Thank you, Dylan." She fidgeted. "And I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"Okay. You're welcome." If Dylan had been trying to mask her awkward expression, she wasn't doing a very good job of it. "Goodnight." She said politely, closing the door behind her.

"Damnit." Bree whispered under her breath, scurrying away from the door. She checked the driveway and could see that Katherine's car was still there. "Katherine?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ugh, where are you." She was was speaking to herself.

Although barely audible, Bree could swear that she heard a voice. It was quite faint, but seeing as she had no other option, Bree followed. She walked for a bit, the sound of a voice which she could not yet identify as Katherine's getting a decibel louder as she approached a group of trees. "Perfect." She muttered sarcastically, tugging at the sleeves of her sweater.

Bree whimpered as her freshly pressed pale yellow sweater brushed up against the bark of a tree. She yelped, pulling a twig from her just washed and blow-dried hair. "Why couldn't you just go home?" She murmured, speaking to an imaginary Katherine. Bree shivered, but continued to slowly make her way through the trees.

After walking about ten feet more, the redhead was finally able to identify the voice as Katherine's. She could almost make out the words of her friend, and it sounded as if she were apologizing to someone. A bit fearful now, Bree continued with trepidation.

"Katherine?" She finally spoke, catching a glimpse of the other woman. Katherine was kneeling on the ground, repeating the words 'I'm so sorry' over and over again. "Katherine…" Bree repeated, moving closer. "Why don't you come inside? It's getting so cold out here, don't you agree?" She waited for a response. "Can I ask you who…who you're talking to?" She questioned rather anxiously.

"Katherine, please answer me." Bree inched in even closer. "Katherine, please, why - !" She shouted, about to continue until she came to a sudden halt, gasping and practically jumping backwards. In the dark of night she hadn't noticed the cross, made out of individual stones that covered a great portion of the area. It took only an instant for Bree to realize that she was standing over young Dylan's makeshift grave.

Katherine heard Bree in the corner of her mind, but did not actually register that her friend was right behind her. She was much too consumed with her own thoughts. "I'm sorry, I'm so terribly sorry." She carried on, praying that her words would reach the child she buried so many years ago. The only thought running through her mind being that of Penny reaching for the cookie jar on top of the fridge, and how simple it was for Lynette to remove her from harm's way. _It would have been so easy_. She kept thinking, the voice inside of her head so loud that the only way to avoid it was to continue repeating how sorry she was.

Bree sat down on a small bench to the left of Katherine no sooner than her knees buckled out from underneath. She was so shaken from the sight before her that she was unable to do anything but sit down and stare blankly ahead. Bree knew that young Dylan had been buried nearby, but had never expected, nor wished, to see the actual gravesite. It was far too much for her to handle.

The redhead remained silent, closing her eyes, desperately attempting to remove herself from the terrible situation. She could feel the cool air running through her veins, the wind in her hair, as she tried to envision herself elsewhere. She mentally brought herself back to her childhood home, and was able to slow her heart rate a bit, until she was jolted back into the harsh reality by the sound of Katherine beginning to cry. Unfortunately, it wasn't long until Katherine's cries turned into sobs.

"Kath, sweetie…" Bree didn't quite understand why she was unable to physically comfort her friend, but she couldn't bring herself down to the ground. It was too agonizing for her to even consider. "We…we should get inside. It's so cold." The sound of her voice was almost alarming. She didn't expect to sound so incredibly frightened. But then again, she was frightened. "Come, now. I'll take care of you, we just need to go inside." She pleaded. "I can't…" She searched for the words. "I can't help you out here." She watched as Katherine continued to sob, still managing to sputter out an ongoing apology.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Katherine sobbed, gasping for air.

"Please." Bree buried her head in her hands, unable to continue for much longer. She felt her palms dampen just slightly and realized that she had begun to cry as well. She was shaking now, rather than just shivering. She wrapped her arms around herself, beginning to cry harder.

Despite her obvious grief, Bree still had her wits about her, which was more than could be said for Katherine. She yanked a tissue out from her purse, dabbing at her eyes as she stood up. Bree would typically place her hand softly on Katherine's shoulder, providing her friend with a sense of calm and comfort. But tonight she had a firm grip on the other woman. "You'll get sick." She spoke, sounding almost as if she were scolding Katherine "We're going inside now."

Startled by Bree's firmness, Katherine could not help but obey. She tried to stand, but was too weak and much too cold. Unable to form the words to ask for help, Katherine outstretched her arm, knowing that Bree would understand. After all, she always did.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Why don't you stay with me for a bit?" Bree offered, looking at Katherine who had calmed down considerably but still had a vacant look in her eyes. "Until you get back to yourself." She let go of Katherine momentarily, leading her inside. "I don't think Dylan should see you this way." She carried on, although there was no argument.

"Darling!" Orson appeared, glass of white wine in hand. "Oh." He stepped back, clearly perplexed. "I didn't realize we were having company." He forced a smile, politely waving hello to Katherine.

Bree sighed, bringing her friend to the couch. "Give me five minutes." She didn't see a need to wait for Katherine's approval, and so she walked away, gripping Orson's forearm and leading him into the kitchen.

"This was supposed to be our night alone." Orson whined, putting his glass down on the kitchen counter. "Just the two of us…to celebrate our reconciliation. You remembered, didn't you?" He questioned, taking a good look at his wife.

"Of course I remembered." Bree looked down at the floor solemnly. "But something's come up."

Maybe it was the bright lighting in the kitchen, or perhaps he just hadn't been all that observant before, but Orson now noticed Bree's flushed and tearstained cheeks. "You've been crying." He approached, taking her hands in his own. "And you're ice cold!" He rubbed her hands, trying to warm them. "What is it?" His eyes were full of deep and genuine concern.

"I can't discuss this right now." She replied dryly, her hands still locked in his. "Please, Orson." She could see his hesitation. "I just need an hour with Katherine. Maybe a little longer, but that's all. We'll still have most of the night for ourselves." She cracked a smile, hoping to change the subject. "I promise."

"Alright." Orson could sense Bree's desperation, and so he reluctantly gave in to her wishes. "I'll take a drive." He released his grip from her slightly warmed hands. "But we'll talk later, okay? Our romantic evening can be postponed" He kissed her gently, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ears. "I love you."

"You too." Bree wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with her husband and somehow try and forget the experience that she just had. She wished the woman in her living room could just go and deal with her problems on her own, but knew that she had to face reality. Katherine was her best friend. Abandoning her was not an option.

Orson disappeared within a matter of seconds, leaving Bree standing rather awkwardly in the kitchen. She busied herself by brewing a cup of coffee for Katherine and herself, but when it seemed that she couldn't put off the inevitable any longer, Bree reconvened with her friend.

"That was more than five minutes." Katherine remarked, accepting Bree's hot cup of coffee. She had taken the initiative to wrap herself up in a velour throw that was resting on top of the couch and was finally starting to warm up.

Surprised to hear the other woman's voice, Bree took a moment to process her thoughts. "My coffee machine wasn't working right." She covered.

Katherine nodded, taking a sip. "I'm sorry."

"Please." Bree cut in, holding up her hand in protest. "Don't say that again." She instantly thought of Katherine's incessant apologies over Dylan's grave.

Katherine stared back at Bree, hearing the obvious hurt and a touch of fear in her voice. "Did I…" She took a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Did I scare you?"

"Scare me?" The redhead pointed to herself, as if Katherine could have possibly been referring to someone else in the room. "Oh no, Katherine, of course not."

"What you saw tonight. It's…well, it's happened before." Katherine continued, shifting in her seat and smoothing down her pant leg. "More times than I can count, really. Just never with an audience." She watched as Bree turned away from her. "Certain things set me off. They spark such powerful memories that I feel like I'm reliving it all. The guilt becomes overwhelming and I just…I lose myself." She trailed off, not wanting to continue. "I stayed out there for three hours once. Three hours and I don't even remember it. You'd think I was some kind of crazy person." She tried making a little joke at the end, but realized that Bree would probably take her statement literally.

Katherine looked up, seeing only the back of Bree's head. She waited for her to cut in with a few words of wisdom, or even just a nod to acknowledge that she was listening. "Are you listening to me at all?" She eventually asked.

"I'm sorry, Katherine." Bree replied, still not turning to face her. "I don't think I can talk about this right now."

"Oh?" Katherine was puzzled, seeing that Bree usually encouraged her to talk. "Are you...?" She felt slightly uncomfortable. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Bree spun around to face her.

"You just seem a little, I don't know. A little upset."

"No reason for me to be upset. I'm not the one with a five year old child buried in my yard." She regretted her words as soon as they came out. She watched a look of hurt spread across Katherine's face before speaking again. "I didn't mean that." She added softly, staring intently at her hands.

"It isn't like I had much of a choice." Katherine responded, thrown by Bree's coldness. "Ideally, I would have given Dylan a proper burial." She raised her voice only slightly. "Well, no. That isn't true, because ideally, I wouldn't have buried her at all."

Bree rested her head in her hands for the second time that evening. "Katherine, please. I said I was sorry." She didn't have the strength to argue.

Katherine was armed and ready with another comeback to fire at Bree, but when she saw that she was in genuine pain, she had a change of heart. She sighed, moving over to be closer to the other woman. "You're not okay." She stated. "And I did scare you."

"It isn't you." Bree admitted, feeling fresh tears beginning to fall. "It's a combination of everything: to see Dylan's grave and know that you dug it out yourself. It's surreal, almost. And when I try to even comprehend what you're going through. What you've been going through for so many years now…" She choked on her words, humiliated but unable to slow down. "I don't know how you get by." She wasn't sobbing by any means, but Bree couldn't recall the last time she had cried so much in front of another human being.

Taken aback by Bree's sudden display of emotion, Katherine's maternal instinct kicked in. She held her as close as she could, speaking in a soft and soothing tone. "Sweetheart, I get by the same way that you do." She spoke slowly. "One day at a time." She rested her chin on top of Bree's head. "I've had days when I wanted it all to end. When the pain was so much that I didn't think it was worthwhile being here." She took a shaky breath. "But if I've learned anything, it's that life is precious, and we can't just throw it away. Not when it can be taken from us so quickly." She traced small circles on Bree's back. "So I guess that's how I get by."

"Well." Bree sniffed. "Who knew you were so insightful?" She teased, reminiscing on a past conversation. She heard Katherine chuckle softly in response. "I don't know how can I help you through all of this when I can't even handle it. I don't know what to do."

"Bree, you've been wonderful, but you're only human." Katherine stated honestly. "A rigid perfectionist, yes." She joked. "But still human. I never expected you to know how to deal with this any better than I do. I never _ever_ would have burdened you with my secrets if they weren't forced out." She gently combed her fingers through Bree's hair. "I never wanted this for you. And I'm so sorry that you're hurting right now, but can I be honest?" She didn't expect a response. "I'm so glad that you know it all." She paused. "I resented you for it at first. I thought that you would just be another responsibility I would have to deal with. I figured you'd pity me for a while, but eventually start distancing yourself." She cleared her throat. "But you've proved me wrong. You've been better than I could have imagined."

"I've dealt with a lot on my own but I don't know…" Katherine continued. "I don't know if I could have gotten through this one alone. I needed someone." She pulled her in a bit closer. "Someone like you." She felt Bree beginning to relax. "Because like I told you: we're the same, you and I."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"You look better." Katherine analyzed Bree's appearance. A bit of color was returning to her pale cheeks, and the trembling in her hands had almost stopped completely.

"So do you." Bree locked eyes with the other woman. "No thanks to me, of course."

"Oh, stop it." Katherine picked at her nails. "It was actually a welcome change." Bree raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "To be able to help you, I mean." She was slightly embarrassed. "You've been at my beckon call for the past month and I've taken advantage of you, Bree. You made it look so easy. Effortless, even."

"Darling, I'm a perfectionist. That's what I do." Bree teased.

"But I should have seen through all that." Katherine scolded herself. "I want you to be able to talk to me." She felt herself blushing now. "To be as comfortable with me as I am with you."

Bree took Katherine's hand in her own. "I'll try." She answered truthfully. "But sometimes I still might need a little push." She paused. "…From my best friend."

Katherine smiled, touched by the remark. She had considered Bree to be her best friend for quite some time now, but enjoyed hearing the title spoken out loud. "You and I, we need each other."

"But we'd never admit it to anyone else."

"Of course not." Katherine sat up straight. "We're perfect. We don't need anybody." She laughed, mocking the two of them.

"To perfection." Bree raised her cup of tea.

"I'll drink to that." Katherine too, raised her cup.

"Bree?" Orson called for his wife.

"In the kitchen!" She answered, unbuttoning the top of her sweater while pouring two fresh glasses of wine. "I've been waiting for you." She turned seductively to face her husband, handing him one of the glasses. "I told you there would still be plenty of time for us, didn't I?"

"Well." Orson scratched his forehead. "Someone's in a better mood."

"I am." The redhead smiled, leaning in closer. She pressed her body up against his. "But I have a feeling…that you could make me feel even better." She grinned deviously.

"I can arrange that." Orson replied breathlessly, wasting no time before kissing his wife passionately.

Katherine headed home, feeling better than she had in weeks. She realized just how capable she really she was. Although she needed Bree for support, she was still a strong woman on her own. Everyday would continue to be a struggle, but Katherine was able to take comfort in the fact that she would not be alone anymore. She would never be alone again.

"Hey mom." Dylan greeted. "Mrs. Hodge was looking for you earlier. Did she find you?"

"Oh, did she ever." Katherine smiled. "How was your night?"

"Boring." Dylan answered, waiting for another round of questioning. When she realized that her mother was done talking, she continued. "Okay, well goodnight, Mom." She headed for the stairs. She and Katherine's relationship had been slowly dwindling over the past few weeks, but neither seemed to be willing to take the first step to fix it.

"Dylan, wait." Katherine called after her daughter. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Yeah, I guess." Dylan shrugged, taking a seat on the couch. "What's up?"

"I know I haven't really been much of a mother to you these past few weeks." She began. "To say I've been wrapped up with my own problems would be an understatement, to say the least."

"It's okay." Dylan fidgeted with her bracelets. "I mean you've had a lot on your mind. It's fine." She clearly wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible.

"It's not fine." She retorted. "The truth is that I was scared." Katherine carried on. "Scared that things would be different with you since you knew…well, everything." She sighed. "I couldn't face you. My own daughter and I couldn't face you." She waited for a remark from Dylan about how she wasn't actually her daughter, but the girl stayed silent. "I obviously underestimated your maturity."

"It's not that." Dylan answered. "I think – well, I think you underestimated yourself as a mother." She looked toward the floor. "I don't like what you did." She clarified. "But you're all I have, and I know that everything you've done has been for me. You're still my mother."

"God, I've missed you." Orson managed to speak, though still out of breath.

Bree snuggled in close to her husband, resting her head on his bare chest. "I told you that all of your efforts would pay off."

Orson just laughed, holding his wife closer. "Darling, I feel a little guilty."

"Why?" Bree questioned, closing her eyes.

"You were so upset." He gently combed his fingers through her hair. "We were going to talk about it, but then I came in and let's be honest, here. How could any man resist you?" He teased.

"Oh, well aren't you charming?" She giggled. "Sweetheart, I told you. I'm okay. It was a bad night, that's all." She craned her neck to get a look at the clock. "It's past midnight now. A new day." She smiled softly. "It's over."

"Is it, though? Bree, you've been so wrapped up in whatever's been going on with Katherine…and then tonight. I worry about you."

"I know you do." She replied. "I got too involved. Obsessed, almost. I just wanted to make everything right for her. She deserves to be happy." Bree ran her fingernails over Orson's chest, feeling him shiver upon her touch. "But Katherine's so strong. I lost sight of that for a while, but was reminded of it tonight. She can take care of herself." She paused. "With a little bit of my help, of course."

"Can we try to act like we did before?" Dylan asked delicately. "When you would yell at me if I stayed out too late instead of just ignoring me." She tried to joke, but there was obvious sincerity in her voice. "And we used to eat dinner together, remember?" The girl was surprised to feel tears welling up in her eyes. "I want you back."

"Dylan." Katherine saw the hurt in her daughter's eyes. "I'm so sorry." She took her into her arms. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I love you so much, I really do."

"I know that." Dylan answered, pulling back from her mother. "I know you do." She spoke slowly. "I just need you to realize that despite everything, I love you too."

Orson sighed. "Promise me you're going to leave some time for you."

"Orson." Bree moved over, her eyes now locked with her husband's. "Things are going to be better now." She kissed him. "I promise."

"I love you." He smiled, returning her kiss.

"I love you too." She whispered. "Thank you for never giving up on me."

Katherine brought her daughter in for another hug. "We've got a fresh start, a clean slate. There's nothing to hide from anymore."

"No more secrets?" The girl asked, still locked in her mother's embrace.

"No more secrets." Katherine assured.

"I like the sound of that."

"Me too." Katherine felt herself grinning. "Things are going to be better now, Dylan." Her words were genuine. "I promise."

**-END-**


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